Cracked Manifold on K - What are the options

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1

Had the manifold welded up twice now - not really major cracks, but if it won’t get through the next MOT - what are the replacement options? Who has any experience of them - either good or bad?

I have the following to start the ball rolling:

  1. Pikey option - second hand standard one <�100
  2. Piper 4-2-1 manifold (with flexi) �420
  3. Piper 4-2-1 manifold (solid) �475
  4. Eliseparts big bore - �495
  5. Janspeed big bore �325
2

As anyone who saw my manifold after the Donington race will know, I’d be interested in opinions too please.
I remember Sean said recently that the Eliseparts 4-2-1 gave excellent power results. Also if anyone has the weights of any manifolds / silencers to hand that would be great too.

Thanks

3

You forgot the EBD and 2bular.

And I would go for the 2bular, it gave me better results than the EBD…

[image]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v629/Uldis/Power%20Graphs/JV5-EBDoriginal-VHPD.jpg[/image]

4

You forgot the EBD and 2bular

[color:“red”] EBD[/color] - I remember your comments (and photos) regarding the one you had:

“That is, until I realized the cumbersome details like too close to the shifter links, too low and required cutting/modifying the undertray and the selaing of the flange to the head (always had to tighten it/put some goo because it would leak.”

OK things might have changed since then, but I do remember seeing a fitter cutting nasty holes in an undertray whilst fitting one only last year

[color:“red”] Tubular [/color] - from his website:

" The 3-Stage headers/manifolds are undoubtedly the way ahead, with amazing gains to be had in power and torque. However they are incredibly time-consuming/costly to make and with a quote of �800 from a quality producer to supply me, I�ve decided to cease production of these items."

5

Yes, teh EBD, didin’t really like it that much.
Mind you, it was far superior to the Janspeed, which I hated.

And regarding the 2bular, didn’t realize he didn’t want to make them anymore, sorry.

6

And regarding the 2bular, didn’t realize he didn’t want to make them anymore, sorry.

Uldis - no problem with naming them - I wasn’t sure myself and don’t understand the reference made about the �800. Was he going to subcontractor the work? At that cost he’s certainly well above the rest of the market.

7

Yeah I got excellent results with a full Elise parts system. My engine had Jenveys on and that exhaust and made 206bhp on Dave Walkers rollers. He said it was the heighest output he had seen from a std engine and the only thing that was different on mine from others he had tested was the exhaust.

8

And regarding the 2bular, didn’t realize he didn’t want to make them anymore, sorry.

Uldis - no problem with naming them - I wasn’t sure myself and don’t understand the reference made about the �800. Was he going to subcontractor the work? At that cost he’s certainly well above the rest of the market.

[image]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y39/321freeflow/2bularJV5.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y39/321freeflow/S2JV54-2-1manifold.jpg[/image]

Just to clear things up (a bit!). This was the final iteration of the K manifold, JV5. As you can see, there’s a fair amount of fabrication/TIG welding involved - 3 different diameters in the primaries, two in the secondaries. Look at the length of the run out of the head - there’s nothing like it available on the market, you wouldn’t even manage that on a Caterham! All main welds at the head flange on the inside, no distortion to affect the seal - a common affliction with all K manifolds. The primary at the head joint opened to 1.75" - no chance of any masking of the port. Very, very easy to fit/remove, a 20min operation on/off. Many, many man-hours of intense concentration required - each section slid inside the other, each weld bringing its own problem of distortion and with the amount of time I now spend on the phone/internet, it just wasn’t a viable product financially.
It was amusing (in the beginning) showing it to a prospective sub-contractor - the sharp intake of breath through the teeth, the shaking of the head, “mmm, we have a pressing which would take care of the collectors - keep the cost down”. No, sorry, it has to be proper merge collectors. “oh! hmm…” etc etc etc The �800 quote was to supply me - this was before talking about the re-packable silencer!! Looking to the wider market (there’s nothing mass market about Lotus), the final retail price would not have been acceptable.
So, sadly, I’ve dropped this item from the range of products.
IM(not so humble)O, the Eliseparts item is the best on the market and it’s reasonably priced too.

9

Jim

thanks for the posting. There’s no doubting that yours is a very impressive looking manifold and in a very limited total market its a shame, but fully understandable, you took the decision you did.

Don’t suppose you have a last one lying around do you?

10

It’s worth remembering that Janspeed offers lifetime warranty on its manifolds (or at least it did earlier this year), which was an important factor for me.

11

That’s interesting - where did you get your manifold from?

12

Sinclaires ordered and fitted it for me, but you can buy it directly from Janspeed, I doubt it would affect the warranty if you fit it yourself.

13

OK had a look at their web page

Janspeed Lotus Elise 1.8I, Sport 135, 111S 08/96 > 12/00 S1 Cabriolet Stainless Manifold (SM999RC) Janspeed Price:
�440.99
inc VAT

  • Equal lengths and optimum bore sizing ensures excellent performance
  • Mandrel formed bends minimise loss of tube volume
  • Hand made on individual jigs to give a perfect fit
  • [color:“red”] 18 month guarantee [/color]

which given the recent company history might be the same as a lifetime warranty.

Incidentally, I was in Kwik Fit today and noticed that they had a big Janspeed dispay and a book of all the parts for the various manufacturers - but no Lotus listed!

14

Incidentally, I was in Kwik Fit today and noticed that they had a big Janspeed dispay and a book of all the parts for the various manufacturers - but no Lotus listed!

Whoa, whoa, whoa!..Sweet child o mine! You were where?!



On a serious note. Does/would the lack of a flexi section on the eliseparts manifold affect the life of the part. I mean on Seans car the engine is more rigidly mounted much reducing the problem but on a standard car the engine can move around quite a bit.- ‘Something’ has to give! For instance the Tubular manifold has sliding sections/springs at the collectors which would help this.

15

Whoa, whoa, whoa!..Sweet child o mine! You were where?!

The guys at my local Kwik Fit are excellent. I’d rather trust them than many companies out there in the Lotus community.

On a serious note. Does/would the lack of a flexi section on the eliseparts manifold affect the life of the part. I mean on Seans car the engine is more rigidly mounted much reducing the problem but on a standard car the engine can move around quite a bit.- ‘Something’ has to give! For instance the Tubular manifold has sliding sections/springs at the collectors which would help this.

The Eliseparts one does have slip joints but from the photo its not obvious how these are connected?

16

Ooops, just read the description on eliseparts.

I had a similar exhaust on the racer for years and the slip joints had no form of connection, it just relies on the fact that it can’t expand enough to fall apart. It really was never an issue and worked perfectly.

Anyway Mr green. Have you decided which option to go for? Just to be the Devils Advocaat for a moment, while the Eliseparts does looks to be the best would there be any benefit to having it if you don’t remap?

17

Anyway Mr green. Have you decided which option to go for? Just to be the Devils Advocaat for a moment, while the Eliseparts does looks to be the best would there be any benefit to having it if you don’t remap?

[image]http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42048000/jpg/_42048296_extras1.jpg[/image]

You 'aving a laff?

Whilst the Eliseparts may be the best one commercially available - failing any input regarding the Piper manifold - I’m still torn between that and the pikey option .

Ultimately, I don’t see the k has a long term future in the car and don’t want to invest too heavily in it

18

failing any input regarding the Piper manifold - I’m still torn between that and the pikey option

Well duh! you are from up North!

I can’t find any useful details on the Piper ones at all.

19

From opinions heard on SELOC the solid Piper is similar to the Eliseparts, IIRC with marginally smaller diameter pipes.
If the rest of the exhaust isn’t full “big bore” the Piper seems a more sensible choice. It also accepts the heatshields from the Elise S2 (cheaper and more effective than the Exige ones)
HTH
Carlo